Vapor generator



L. A. WILSON VAPOR GENERATOR Sept. 19; 1933.

Original Filed March 24. 1924 i n I INVENTOR sv ahzaimu ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 19, 1933 'HUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application March 24,1924, Serial No. 701,359

. Renewed September 9, 1930 p Claims.

tion are secured without danger of collapsing the flues, and convert a given amount of heat energy into a maximum amount of vapor energy in the flues.

These objects I accomplish with the apparatus illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which similar letters and numerals of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views, and as described in the specification forming a part of this application and pointed out in the appended claims.

,In the drawing in which I have shown the best and most preferred form and manner of using my invention, Figure 1 is a diametrical vertical section of the apparatus. Figure 2 is an elevation of the flues and heat chamber, with the shell of the boiler removed. Figure 8 is a horizontal section on line 3- of Figure 1.

While the drawing shows a vertical boiler, yet 301 do not limit the invention to that type of boilers for with slight modifications and changes other types of boilers may be constructed, and other modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and all within 35 the claims.

The invention consists of a cylindrical shell A having a dome-shaped closed upper end B and open lower end. The said shell A is detachably fastened on a base or fixed end C by the bolts 1. The said shell A is covered by the insulation D to prevent exterior radiation. A steam exit is provided centrally in the said dome-shaped top B, as shown by the pipe 2, the steam entering said pipe 2 through apertures 20, after passing a skirt 23 which serves as a steam separator to remove water from the said steam. The inlet with automatically controlled valves (not shown) therein is indicated by 22, whereby water or other fluid may be supplied to the interior of said shell. The numeral 21 indicates an egress from the boiler near the upper surface of the fluid; this pipe may be used for withdrawing heated fluid from the boiler, or may be connected in to pipe 22 to provide a circulation of fluid through the boiler.

A heat chamber E is'provided centrally on said base 0, and which is secured within and to said base C by having an outwardly turned flange 4 on its lower end, which flange engages with the lower face of said base and is also brazed, soldered or otherwise secured to said base. The upper end of said heat chamber E is closed as is the lower end also, to permit of combustion at pressures greater than that of the atmosphere, and a heat exit 5 is provided in the side wall and near the top of said heat chamber E. A spirally disposed v flue member F is secured by brazing or otherwise on the exterior wall of said heat chamber, with an exit opening 6 at its lower end, in which an egress pipe 7 is secured. The said flue member F is triangular in radial cross section with the apices spaced from the inner wall of said shell A, and the baseformed by the exterior of said flue chamber E. The interior of said flue member is filled with interior-bracing, heat radiating and conducting materials with interstices in, and openings between said pieces through which the hot gases from the heat chamber E may flow free- 1y. The said pieces 8 which are preferably of the same material as flue F act as braces for the sidewalls of said flue chamber, thereby allowing the said walls to be much thinner than would otherwise be possible, which construction aids in vaporizing the liquid in the boiler. A burner H of any of the well-known types is provided in the bottom of said heat chamber E, and with a fuel supply pipe 9 leading thereto.

The operation of my apparatus is as follows:- Heat from the burner will pass upwardly through the heat chamber E and pass from said chamber through the exit or port 5 into the spiral flue member F. The hot gases will pass through the interstices of and openings between said pieces 8 and through the convolutions of the flue member toward its lower end, and exit through the egress port 6, and the pipe '7. The liquid in the shell A will be vaporized and pass out through the exit 2 and. conducted to the motor or engine for developing power thereby. Any accumulation of scale, sediment which may be deposited in the boiler or be precipitated on or around the said flue F can be easily and quickly removed by draining the boiler and removing the shell A. The said flue is thus exposed and accessible for work on or cleaning the exterior of the flue.

Having thus described my invention and its operation I desire to secure by Letters Patent and claim:-

1. A generator comprising an outer water holdlng shell having an ingress and egress, a base member on which said shell is detachably se- .9.

cured; a central heat chamber concentrically secured on said base member within said shell; a spiral heat carrying flue secured around said heat chamber with its sides inclined toward each other throughout the width of said sides forming a spiral edge spaced from the inner wall of said shell, and with the upper end of said flue connected with said heat chamber and the lower enddischarging through said base member.

2. A generator comprising a base member; a cylindrical shell detachably fastened to said base for carrying Water; a dome cap secured thereon; a central vertical discharge port in saidodome; a spirally disposed flue concentric with said shell and fastened to said base member, and having its side walls tapered toward each other throughout the width of said walls and having its-upperend communicating with a central heat chamber,

and its lower end discharging througliisaid base,

member.

3; A generator comprising a base member; an insulated shell detachably secured on said base and adapted to hold liquid; a heat chamber securedon' said base andconcentrically within said shell; a spirally disposed flue secured on said heat chamberand spaced from said shell and with an opening connecting the interior of said heat chamber and said flue; heat radiating pieces within said flue to brace the walls thereof; and means for heating said heat chamber and said flue.

4'. A flue element triangularly shaped in crosssection and braced interiorly.

5. In combination, means defining a combustion chamber, a shell enclosing said means and spaced therefrom, and a helical flue surrounding said. combustion chamber and communicating with the upper portion thereof, said flue being a member shaped to form a passage open along one side, and adapted to coact with said'means whereby said means forms a closure for the said open side. i

saidelement and cooperating therewith to form an enclosed passage within said element, there being an inlet for gases of combustion at one end of said element and an outlet therefor at the other end thereof, and a shell disposed around said element in close relation thereto to form a substantially enclosed passage around the exterior of said element, there being an inlet and an outlet to said passage exterior of'said element at the same respective ends as the outlet and the inlet to the passage inside said element.

7. In combination, means defining a combustion chamber, a shell enclosing said means and spaced therefrom, and a helical flue around said means and within said shell, the said flue being in com munication with the said chamber at the upper end of said chamber and having an exhaust opening adjacent the lower end thereof, and the turns of said flue extending from the said chamber substantially into contact with said shell.

8. A method of heating substances, comprising passing a heat yielding medium at a velocity higher than that due to the temperature thereof and with greater turbulence than that due to the wall enclosing said medium in a helical path in one direction, and passing a heat absorbing substance in the opposite direction in thermal contact with the heat yielding medium, also in a helical path and enclosing said-medium.

9.-An article of manufacture, consisting'of a helical flue member, whereof the walls defining 105 the-space therein converge on a line taken radially outwardly across a turn thereof, said memher having an axially extending bore therein adapted to receive an element to define a combustion chamber. 1

10. An article of manufacture consisting of a helical flue member whereof the walls defining the space therein converge on a line taken radially outwardly across a turn thereof and the radially inner edges of adjacent walls of consecutive turns are connected together, said member having an axially extending bore therein adapted toreceive an element'to define a combustion chamber.

' LEROY A. WILSON. 

